the morning alight with red
by So Guhn
Summary: It's what history told them. Back story fic. Xing Ke/Tian Zi.


_the morning alight with red_** ; PG13 - romance/gen - Xing Ke/Tian Zi**

On that day,

She gave birth to him.

His face against the dirt, that had dusted and smeared over his face, he had been beaten, pulled, turned. He was supposed to have been punished. Li Xing Ke, just the son of a to be executed traitor (he had not fallen back, his men would not be killed in the conflict with India, it was too wasteful, too tragic, and against his orders from the higher ups, though he had been a General) that they did not know. His father had had this illness for years, and in the final hours of his life, as his son, his comrade, he had wanted to ease his father's suffering just a bit, for when the time came. So he gave him medicine, and still they did not and would never know that he was his son. But they had caught him and here he was, at the mercy of their ruler- she who had been heaven's descent.

Xing Ke did not expect her to be kind, did not know her, did not understand their ruler until that day- expecting someone older, someone ruthless, someone that reflected those who starved (and he would learn) "That's wrong!" her soft, quivering voice, the guard who held him down was skeptical, "But this man-"

She is just a small girl, a small child, needing to be taken care of and his heart had leapt in shock.

"Even I!" strong, resolved, probably this was the first time in her life she had fought for any thing- any one, probably the first time the outside touched her, and her rule, her order, her existence- words, all that she said was to be done, it was law, it was the decree of heaven! That was how it was, so when she decided, that his life was important- "-receive medicine when I am sick."

She.

Is above them and yet, here she is (the guard cries out that it is different, and her words strike him down, perpetual and light, "It's wrong!")

They usher her, that she must hurry, a ceremony, a place filled with deception and not contagious laughter is to begin, her small hands fist in the skirt of a royal attendant (who is a noble, some concubine not from ages, but faulty, because these past centuries the ruler, the Tian Zi has remained to be a woman and that-) "This man, what he did was good!"

A eunuch calls, that they really must go; the Tian Zi is to be abided. Her word really is law, her words have saved him. The dying man, the still fetus.

Instead of being resentful that they have killed his father (but he only has a mother now and it is her, his sovereign, his-) he readily wants to join the army, and being the whispered man that had been saved through the grace of heaven's mandate he had been allowed to join the military academy with no problem (despite, and they know now who he was and who they had killed- but then, he is not the same as before) he is assigned a room and classes and work, and there he will be for years.

He had already learned some of the sword, tactics, his past trails behind him like a sticky trail of blood (from the womb) and that he imbeds in his memory. He in a course of three months becomes the top of his class. He reads the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, studies Confucianism, becomes superior with the sword (it is so quick- his teachers brag, in the most humble way possible to the higher ups who eye willing bodies to fight for a cause they're not sure about), he masters every teaching they throw at him (and it's like this- a too sharp a blade will seek to become dull, because even its master will fear to be cut) sometimes he _slows_ down. His own philosophies, his heart, is crushed down by what he is taught, what he needs to know. He does it all for one sake (because while his own, his own is burnt, forsaken, ready to rise again when-)

It's not long that his able and quick pace make him a sought after candidate for real position, they needed (the eunuchs he observes) strong, yet "weak" enough people to control in order for all others to move with them. It is a constant bad taste in his mouth. The power of the army, the power the eunuchs had themselves was given by Tian Zi('s existence) to abuse it was unforgivable. To fight for her, their country. Though he had been aware of corruption it had been worse (and would be even worse as he delved far deeper in) than they had imagined. (He was his people too. Though some say he abandoned them to seek position others knew he was true.)

Xing Ke wants to be a soldier, wants to be a lieutenant, a commander, a general, not to follow footsteps, but to make his own and allow him (those steps) to lead, to fall, all the way to her again, he wants to see her again, he wants to give her back what heaven had trouble bestowing (because sometimes the devil is stronger, they breed in multitude). It is said that a Tian Zi's rule reflected the decision of heaven, should a dynasty be prosperous it means the rule is true, however if it is not it means that heaven- the gods had changed their mind and another may step up, whoever with power and not necessarily blood. This is what is written and told (gift of mouth) of their history.

But the people will love their ruler, even on the verge of despair, she is a small girl and sweet, the people are not entirely ignorant (and that is why he will build a-) as if for sure. He knows that their Tian Zi's rule is meant to be true, and because she is young, and ignorant of the world outside- the eunuchs have stolen her power and tried to make it their own.

Xing Ke believes, that if that is so, the heavens have sent him to punish them in her place.

(Let her not be sullied by the world inside and out just yet.)

--

He wants to see her.

It seems impossible, though he is the top student, he has yet to graduate, yet to have his own fleet, yet to be anyone. He requests for an audience however, and is conflicted to take away this chance of a peasant who was probably before him, but is powerless (plus there was no guarantee he would survive to make it outside the Forbidden City, or that he would be even granted his simple request) it takes three whole months.

In the meanwhile, along the dusty streets, the town where he does not go through often- too occupied with his schooling- he walks. He has neglected the memory of what life was (is) to him, while it is true the buildings in proximity of the forbidden city are ordinate and better taken care of, they are still old, and as you walk farther along the street each and every block looks a bit more run down. He's visiting an old tea shop his father used to take him to, to mumble about far fetched ideas like rebellion, over throwing the government, or trying to change it entirely from within. Either and all these ideas seem impossible, and the only pleasant memory is the haunting vague sweet aroma that hangs around the place, warm, old men suckle pipes and ladies ask the favour to try. He remembers when his head had just been a table high and he had knocked his forehead against it many a time. His father had just- (his father is dead.)

The black market, takes part in alleyways, and as a future soldier to be a witness to it meant you had an obligation to dissolve it. Even if it was just for looks and did not mean actual jailing- neither had been his intention when he had walked into the alley, and sharp twisted, the foot of people moving to take their goods and hide are en masse through the lifted dust, a blade strikes out to tempt him, and Xing Ke rushes back, no weapons on him and fully intent on using his hands, the perpetrator moves forward, in a step that is easily like the one from school, it's- and he evades her, snatching at her wrist and twisting the sword falls. The brown caped figure- he draws the hood back, the threat on his life had not been serious at all, it had been more, he thought, an act of diversion.

He gives a start in pseudo surprise, "Zhou Xianglin?"

Zhou Xianglin, her father was a well known officer, an almost favourite of the High Eunuchs- as his daughter she was some what well known- the top second in their class, though they had not become too acquainted, some people compared them, while some simpler over looked her as a woman (but was not their ruler one too?) she grits her teeth, before biting out a smile that is almost poisonous to look at, "Li Xing Ke, will you report me?"

He let's go of her wrist, saying in all finality, "No."

She looks almost surprised, and shoulders hunched, "Why?"

It's his turn to smile, "Because we are comrades."

--

He is granted to see her, and he goes.

They are a distance away, he is just a student in the military academy after all, he is neither general, nor nobility, nor a eunuch. The only power he carries is the power of the life she allowed him to have. He wants to thank her, he does not look to her face, to make eye contact with the Empress would be disrespectful- he kowtows to her. It feels like eternity has stretched, he could only speak if she granted him the opportunity, she says nothing. He does not know her eyes are searching, peering, and her small frame leaning up on the throne (a multicoloured mat) long lash glancing with every inquiring blink. This person before her was familiar yet-

-the Eunuch aside her shifts impatiently, Xing Ke is announced and the name does nothing, there is only silence, she is too caught up in her nostalgic wonder to address him, and just as the Eunuch is about to address her on the matter (he's Sha Wang or some other) another (Zhao Hao) comes in, rushing, voice hysterically hushed- India had rebelled, they needed to- Sha Wang tells Tian Zi to remain where she is (her worried nod enough permission to their actions), they leave. She starts to fidget where she sits, the man- this Xing Ke still before her. She rises to leave, and though he should not have dared, her final glance made him follow.

"_Sheng Shang_," he first calls her, and she looks about her surprised, but blinks back at him as if he has not called her at all, she was not used to the other titles as she was to Tian Zi. He switches to it, at her worrying brow creased and turned.

"Lady Tian Zi," he addresses her again, she's led them out and above to a deck. The roofs of buildings arched here and around the circle of her Forbidden City, gorgeous and shining even under the recumbent night. When walking behind her he had noticed exactly how small she remained, barely over his waist.

He continues though she has said nothing, she's much more timid than when had first met her, her voice bursting forth as if a dam had overflowed, he cannot help the wistful smile that upturns on his face on this recollection, a tone of utter gratitude reverberating all the while- "Thank you, for the life you gave me."

Turning again, interestedly, she does not remember from that time then? He did not think so, he was just- "In order to find a way to become closer to you (to be able to protect you) I have entered the Military Academy."

"Military Academy?" she recognizes, her voice has a softness that defines her as a girl, yet the way the tone the syllables have implies the weight of her birth- she speaks loudly to speak clearly. When she cannot say anything she does not say anything at all (though she wants-) Xing Ke nods. "With the life you gave me,"

-repeating, that which has carried him, she peers into the sky and his gaze follows hers, to be with her, to see what she saw- "I would like to go outside someday."

"Outside?" the Empress, heaven's mandate was not allowed outside. Though there had been causes of holy pilgrimage and the like, the idea of touching the outside world was too humbling to their ruler, whom they acknowledged not only as the emperor of China, but the ruler of all that lived under the sky. Least that is what is taught; though they all know it is not true, he smiles for a different reason now.

"I heard," she's looking at the sky as if it is the very stars that lay out there, in multitude and capable of touch, he knows what she is capable of, he knows what she should have and should be, but- "that outside there are friends, oceans, and hot foods."

Tonight (and he must had kowtowed longer than he thought, waiting, waiting for her, because it had not been night when he entered-) "Then," his step, this step! To her was more valuable than any other, she turns to face him completely as he kneels before her, "I will take you outside some day,"

A soft sound of surprise.

-extending his hand, his pinky, "-this is how you make promises from the outside."

She holds up her own, the glance of child wonder and ignorance, it's not exciting as it is new, and she guessingly links hers to his, "A promise," he starts, and never has one's voice every addressed her as unselfishly and sincere as his, and her heart trembles as his though she knows not the difference now.

"-of eternal peace," she finishes; other fingers touching, sealing- he seems to know what she would say, why was that? She thinks not of it, only fleetingly, and smiles at him because he is smiling at her.

--

Eternal peace.

Was not what a starving land had, the nobility reaped all they did not sow, and it strangled the common people. To have peace, happiness, and prosperity, he knew the High Eunuch must be brought down, they who used Tian Zi as a marionette, they who abused power. He firmly, strongly, believed that the promise they made- meant that in her stead, he would take them down.

A rebellion, the whispers his father made at that tea house he himself does make now- Xianglin sits across from him at it. It is just the two of them for now; a much larger group would bring suspicion. But there are others, others they know who will fight with them, others who are tired and exhausted from the abuse- and they will form and plan every move from now on- build their strength. They would rebel against the High Eunuchs and bring Tian Zi back to power! Xianglin's dark brown hair looks darker under the smoky light; they've been talking for a near hour already.

Xing Ke has found the other very sharp, she seems to know when to talk loudly and when to speak softly, she changes the subject a little to almost witty congrats on his new position. "It had been rumored for some time that Gao Hai had his eye on you."

Though she looks the type to lean her elbow on the table, she is far from it. It is folded on her lap, their tea pot is near empty and the remains are cold, she cocks the lid about the opening.

She continues, "I can only hope it was skill he was looking at though others doubt."

"Disgusting," he starts, when a waitress refills their tea pot with her own, Xianglin taps three knotted fingers on the table in silent thanks, not even glancing the waitress's way, replying to him instead- "Indeed."

Refilling their cups, they will stay another hour longer.

--

He is General an entire year before it is deemed that he is worthy (pushing India back, Burma-) to attend a higher class sort of celebration, he is deemed useful, worthy, capable. He accompanies Gao Hai to the New Year's Eve celebration. The Eunuch sniggering from time to time behind his silken sleeve, the sound reminding Xing Ke of a fat clucking chicken- he stands about with other higher ranking military officials and nobility. It is eve and they are to eat amongst themselves, while the Empress eats with her relatives on a table situated farther from them, and upon a step higher. The food is near about as brightly coloured and decorative as the room, round red lanterns situated here and there replacing the usual square ones, white and lined with red painted wooden parts, dishes of fish and chicken (though not limited) trickle here and there amongst others, vegetables, and rice. Customarily as commoners go there is one dish of fish and you remain with your family, however the Empress, they to her were probably what she must call "family".

His clothes are stiff, they are new, as his rank- his usual school attire had been traded out with this one. He thought the dark blue on it would have been too much and frowned upon, but the Empress herself, though decked out almost entirely in red- her collar is a shade blue darker.

He tries to strain his eyes to look at her, because she is far away, and settles on trying to not look at her at all. Little talk is said aside from the exchanging of auspicious greetings (though he finds some insincere) before they eat, because the Empress herself has only spoken a few words and often (though he does not know) is asked politely to rest in her seat instead of peering to see who sits below.

He's excused to go home, though it means returning to nearly appointed quarters in the palace he is not used to. He has driven himself these past years to make it here, and yet no longer as far as he had been he is still- there is a path way that leads into one of the garden, her slowly walking figure catches his eye, as if on a spurt of unused energy Tian Zi dashes into it, disappearing within the orderly tangle of trees and flower bushes, he pursues. His very shadow bending under red lantern light, arm hoisting his body over the bar of red wood, landing silently on the grass below, to follow her steps-

-when he makes it into the garden he does not find her, he did not think it would be difficult to catch up with her though it does seem the cause, he walks mimicking slow, almost cautious that what he saw had been a ghost (these shoes were not new, and today was still) there's a rustle about the tree above him, and she falls, a bundle of red- from a peach tree into his tense readied arms, surprise lining about his features, she let's out a soft 'oof' posthumously from the fall.

"Are you alright?" he asks, kneeling to the ground, assuming she would reach her feet again (and he should not be holding her, touching her, looking at her, being with her at all) he wonders if she remembers- "OH!" she says looking embarrassed, why she is not being attended to, why she is alone- he does not ask, she answers any way, "I went to catch my breath."

She stays leaning against his arms, though she was free to leave them, she's gotten a little taller- he thinks, though it has been three years from that time, she is still just a small girl, she is still the Empress (his-) "-when," and he did not know she had more to say, and she shies a bit at her continued speech, "I thought some peaches would be nice."

Xing Ke, smartens down the laugh that itches over his throat, he must not have done a good enough job because she looks upon him startle, longer than before, still tied about hair trembling with a jump of her shoulders, spine. He shakes his head in apology, "Lady Tian Zi, I see you have failed to pick your peach," while others would have deemed this foreboding to their luck, he feels the luckiest of men to be able to- "would you like me to help you get one?" -help her; it is different from the other question that may have been asked (do you want me to get it for you?)

She is the Empress, and to it right, it must be picked by her hand should that have been her intention to begin with and because, she has not left his arms, he cradles, hoists her up to peer at the branches, neither slim neither thick, but heavy with fruit, with rounded pinkish orange tinged peaches, soft skin- the foliage of green bursting about it. She smiles at the new height (and he did think her daring, to climb a tree, was this the first time, the second? He wants to always be there when she climbs for should she fall-) she picks one, success blossoming about her face in childish pleasure. This time he does set her to her feet.

She bites into it delightedly, contently, he looks down upon her as she eats, funny to find that she did not eat with this much gusto at the very feast that had been set before her- made by the greatest chefs- instead she rather have this simple peach as a meal. The kind a traveler has. She really was-

(-outside,) she's eaten a far amount, before looking up at him, juice about her pinker mouth, against the white fair cheek and staining about the fingers, she extends her arm, hand up before him, offering what is left, saying plaintively and so softly he almost did not hear it over the rushing, pounding sound of heightened blood that drummed about his ears, "Your share."

Something heavy catches about his throat, their- the Empress-

...if only she could rule on her own feet, if only she would be allowed to extend her heart to her country as intended, then they- they would be fine, they wouldn't suffer, she would not bear it. Ignorance cannot be sin, and while others would condemn her he condemns all the rest in this palace, you cannot curse what you do not know, and he holds her wrist so abruptly she starts, like a sparrow from the hawk, and he eats it. Stains his face with the same juice, spilling all about them until the pit falls from her hand, and his lips are against her palm and her fingers sticky against his sticky face- he pulls them apart just as abruptly, her eyes are only curious and he knows that curiosity is there instead of anything else because she _trusts_ him and it is enough, enough. With this his luck could be no better.

And in a stream about the garden, which leads to a small pond of koi, he washes them of the peach juice, withdrawing other temptation, she has probably been gone too long to not have escaped notice, it was probably only a matter of time (as every thing) and when he rises, releasing her wet hand, she knows, "Xing Ke!" and his foot is stuck in transition and fails to move him further away- "Tian Zi."

"I-" and it's royal, _zhen_, we. He wants her to say that without regret, "I have something to give you!"

She touches about the folds of her clothing, pulling from a sleeve, a caught crevice, a wrapped cake that is undeniably-

"This?" he says hand held out, she places the small cake in his hand gently, as if doing other wise she would crush it.

"I wanted to give it to you earlier, but..." he was busy, she was busy, she wasn't supposed to do that, he wasn't supposed to do that, his chest burns and he is upon his knee again, an honour, too much, what he- and he has to hold his laugh in again, because it's anything but autumn right now, "_Xie xie_."

She gives a sound of pleasure and smiles at his gratitude.

He'll ask her about the promise another time.

--

Three years more takes its toll.

A marriage, a coup, a kidnapping- they all seem to fail in some way, but they are here and it is today and finally.

"I'll protect you forever."

She's happy so happy, but he knows it can't be forever, their forever's were not the same, time- and she's crying and he thinks she does not know, she does not. The very illness his father had, he had surely inherited.

It's not exactly the way they imagined it, but her dream has been fulfilled.

So she makes them another, because that is how she holds him.

He would die for her.


End file.
